Cable-traversing trolley carriages



Jan. 10, 1956 E. J. ROLLINGS CABLE-TRAVERSING TROLLEY CARRIAGES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 7, 1951 Jan. 10, 1956 E. J. ROLLJNGS CABLE-TRAVERSING TROLLEY CARRIAGES 4 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed Sept. 7. 1951 I N VEN TOR:

A TTORNE Y5.

Jan. 10, 1956 E. J. ROLLINGS 2,730,047

CABLE-TRAVERSING TROLLEY CARRIAGES Filed Sept. '7, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR:

A TTORNEYS.

Unit States P ent 2,730,047 CABLE-TRAVERSING TROLLEY CARRIAGES Ernest J. Rollings, Marion, Pa., assignor to Northern Engineering & Machine Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania 3 Application September 7, 1951, Serial No. 245,548

Claims. (Cl. 105-153 This inventionrelates to cable-traversing trolley carriages, that is to say, to trolley carriages for cableways such as are extensively. employedin ship loading, in pit excavation, in open coal or ore mining operations, and in material handling generally.

My invention is directed in the main toward provision, in connection with carriages of the kind referred to, of improved means by which more effective traction is securedbetween the trolley wheels or sheaves and the cables incident to power propulsion; and of improved control means whereby the carriages are smoothly and quickly brought to a standstill through rolling clamping action upon the cable, concurrently with braking force applied to the wheels or sheaves.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, view, in side elevation, of a rope or cable traversing carriage conveniently embodyingmy invention. r

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation drawn to alarger scale.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view ofthe carriage taken as indicated by the angledjarrows III.IIIin Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view, in section, taken as indicated by the angled arrows IV-IV in Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary detail sectional views taken as indicated respectively by the angled arrowsV-V and Vl-VIinFig. 4. f

As herein exemplified, our, improved rope or cable traversing carriage has two laterally-spaced longitudinally-extending side frames. 1 and 2 between which are disposed, at each end of the carriage, a circumferentially grooved upper wheel or sheave 3 adaptedjto roll on the rope or cable designated 5, and a similarly grooved lower wheel or sheave 6 to bear upon the rope or cablefrom beneath. e r

In each instance, the upper sheave 3 is supported (Fig. 3) with interposition of ball bearings, 7, to rotate freely about a concentric spacing bushing 8 which surrounds the shank of a tie rod 9 connecting the side frames 1 and 2. Secured to the hub 10 of sheave 3 at one end is a driving sprocket wheel 11, and allixed to the sheave 3 itself at the opposite side, is a brake drum 12. Arranged to cooperatewith the brake drum 12 interiorly thereof are pivoted brake shoes 13 which are supported by a discous member 14 secured tothe side frame 2, and which are operable by means of a hydraulic cylinder 15. The lower sheave 6 is supported, withinterposition of ball bearings16, to rotate freely about an eccentric sleeve 17 capable of being turnedabout a concentric spacing bushing 18 which surrounds the shank of a tie rod 19 whereby the side frames 1 and 2 are connected adjacent the bottom. "Affixed to the eccentric sleeve 17, at one end, is an arm 20 which, by means. of a 1ink21, is coupled with an arm 22 on the inner'end of a short shaft 23ext end ing through abearing boss 24 on side framel. To the outerend of shaft 23 is securedanother arm 25 whereto is connected one end of i helical tension spring 26gwhereof the other end is connected 'to an anchorage 27 which is adjustable endwise in a bracket 28 on the outer face of tamer: Through the linkage just desbribed, ita will. be. seen that spring 26' exerts a turning 2,730,047 Patented Jan. 10, 1956 force upon eccentric sleeve 17, whereby the sheave 6 is maintianed in yielding running contact with the rope or cable 5 from beneath. Also connected to the arm 25 is the piston 29 of a fluid pressure cylinder 30 bolted to the outer face of frame 1. Upon admission of pressure fluid to cylinder 30, as later on explained, the eccentric sleeve 17 will be still further turned in the same direction with the result that the lower sheave 6 is positively forced upward to clamp upon the rope or cable 5 and to hold the carriage against shifting in any position to which it may have been propelled.

To the side of sheave 6, opposite that occupied by arm 25, is fixedly secured a brake drum like the one associated with the Wheel 3. Arranged to cooperate with drum 35 are brake shoes 36 which are pivotally supported by a discous element 37 and operable by means of a hydraulic cylinder 38. As shown, the element 37 has a hub 39 that fits about the adjacent end portion of eccentric sleeve 17, so as to be maintained at all times in true axial alignment with drum 35 on sheave 6. For restraint against rotation with sheave 6, the element 37 has a flange ring 40 (Fig. 4) with top and bottom bosses 41 which are respectively engaged by eccentric stud projections 42 at the inner ends of short rock shafts 43 passed through bosses 44 on frame 2. The anti-friction pin roller bearings, respectively indicated at 45 and 46, are relied upon to insure free movement of the interengaged parts. It will be noted that the eccentricity of the studs 42 on rock shafts 43 is exactly equal to that of the sleeve 17 about which sheave 6 revolves. Brake shoe carrying element 37 is thus suspended with capacity to rise or fall with sheave 6 when eccentric sleeve 17 is turned as above explained.

In order to steady the brake shoe supporting element 37 and thereby prevent brake flutter, I have additionally provided means (Fig. 6) including bolts 47 whereof the shanks pass through bosses 48 in the frame 2 which bosses are substantially equally spaced to opposite sides of the lower sheave axis in the horizontal plane through the latter. As best shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the flange ring 40 of element 37 is formed with relatively large apertures 49 to clear the shanks of bolts 47 and is held to the corresponding end faces of the bosses 48 by washers 50 interposed between said faces and the heads of said bolts, the assemblage being maintained by nuts 51 ap plied to the protruding ends of the bolt shanks.

As shown in Fig. 1, the sprocket wheels 11011 the upper sheaves 3 are connected by chains 55 with sprocket pinions 56 on a shaft 57 suitably mounted for rotation between the frames 1 and 2 midway of the length of the latter. The shaft 57 is in turn connected by a sprocket chain 58 to a speed reducer 59 incorporated with an electric motor 60 supported centrally of the top of frames 1 and 2. Current for operating motor 60 is furnished by a generator 61 which is driven by an internal combustion motor 62 suspended from the frames 1 and 2 at one end of the carriage by hanger brackets 63.

For the operation of the lower wheel brakes, there is indicated at 65 in Fig. l, a master cylinder whereof the piston rod 66 is connected, through a linkage 67, 68, 69 and 70, to a hand lever 71 convenient of access to an operator standing on a platform (not shown) suspended from the carriage by an open framework 72 at the end opposite that from which the power unit 62 is hung. Extending from the master cylinder 65 is a pipe main 73 with flexible branches 74 and 75 which lead to the cylinders 15 and 38 for actuating the brakes for the sheaves prehensively designated 76 in Fig. 1. This clamp means 76 is arranged to be operated, through a linkage 77, 78,

3 79, 80, 81 and'82 by another hand lever 83 adjacent the brake controlling hand lever 71.

Associated with the carriage and hung from the center thereof is a lifting block and tackle mechanism 85 which is arranged to be power driven. This mechanism, per se, forms no part of the present invention and need not therefore be described in detail; 7

From the foregoing it will be seen that, during normal travel of the carriage, the lower sheaves 6 will be held in effective tractive engagement with the cable 5. Stoppage of the carriage, upon interruption of current flow to motor 60, is effected by manipulation of hand lever 71, withattendant actuation of cylinder 65 and additional turning of the eccentric sleeves 17 for rolling clamping action upon the cable by the lower sheaves 6, and with concurrent actuation of the cylinders and 38 for brake application. Accordingly, through my invention, the carriage is smoothly decelerated and quickly brought to a standstill with minimum attendant jar or vibration.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a cable traversing trolley carriage having a frame, a pair of grooved power-driven wheels for respectively engaging the cable from above and from below, a fixed axis on the frame about which the upper wheel is rotative, an eccentric sleeve about which the lower wheel is ro tatiye,.said sleeve being free on another fixed axis on the frame; and yielding means tending to turn the sleeve to keep the lower wheel normally in tractive engagement with the cable, brake mechanism including a brake drum secured to the lower wheel; a disk mounted on the hub of the lower wheel and carrying a normallyretracted brake shoe for cooperation with the drum; means for restraining the disk while allowing it to rise and fall with the lower wheel; a pressure fluid cylinder also'mounted on the disk for actuatingthe brake shoe; and manual means for controlling admission of pressure fluid to the brake-actuatingcylinder.

2. The invention according to claim 1, further including abrake drum secured to the upper wheel; a disk fixed in concentric relationto the upper wheel; a normallyretracted brake shoe carried by said disk to cooperate with said drum; and an actuating cylinder for the brake shoe a1 carried by said disk to which pressure fluid is aded" under control of the manual means concurrently with admission to the brake-actuating cylinder associatedwith the lower wheel. 7 I a 3. The invention according to claim 1, wherein the yielding means comprises an arm secured to the eccen: tric sleeve, and a spring intensio-n between the arm and a. fixed anchorage on the carriage frame; and further includinga fluid pressure cylinder also affixed to the frame with its piston rod connected to the arm whereby, upon admission of pressure fluid to said cylinder under control of the manual means, the eccentric sleeve is turned to force the lower wheel into tight gripping relation with the cable, concurrently with brake application.

4. The invention according to claim 1, wherein they carriage is provided, with, an operators cage, and wherein the manual means for controlling brake application is; located in the operators cage.

5. In a cable traversing trolley carriage having a frame, a pair of grooved power-driven wheels for respectively engaging the cable fromabove and from below, a fixed axis on the frame about which the upper wheel is. rotative, an eccentric sleeve about which the lower wheel is rotative, said sleeve being free on another fixed axison the frame, and an arm secured to the eccentric sleeve and a spring in tension between the arm and a fixed anchorage on. the carriage frame to keep thelower wheel normally in yielding tractive engagement with the cable; mecha-. msm for supplementing the spring toturn the eccentric.

sleeve and thereby force the lower wheel into tight gripping relation with the cable to hold the carriage against movement when stopped, including a pressure fluid cylinder afiixed' to the carriage frame with its piston con- 4. nected to the arm aforesaid; and manual means for controlling admission of pressure fluid to said cylinder.

6. In a cable traversing trolley carriage having a horizontally elongate frame, a pair of grooved power-driven wheels at each end of the frame for respectively engaging the cable from above and from below fixed axes on the frame about which the upper wheels are rotative, eccentric sleeves about which the lower wheels are rotative, said sleeves being free on other axes fixed on the frame, and yielding means tending to turn the sleeves to keep the lower wheels normally in tractive engagement with the cable, brake mechanism including brake drums secured to the lower wheels; disks mounted on the hubs of the lower wheels and carrying normally retracted brake shoes to react with the respective drums; means for restraining the disks while allowing them to rise and fall with the lower wheels; pressure fluid cylinders also mounted on the disks for actuating the brake shoes; and manual means for controlling admission of pressure fluid concurrently to the two brake cylinders.

7. The invention" according to claim 6, further including brake drums secured respectively to the upper wheels; disks fixed in concentric relation to the upper wheels; normally-retracted brake shoes on the respective disks to cooperate with the last mentioned drums; actuating cylinders for the brake shoes also mounted on said disks to which pressure fluid is admitted under control of the.

manual means concurrently with admission of pressure fluid to the actuating cylinders for the brakes associated with the lower wheels.

8. The invention according to claim 6, wherein the yielding means comprises arms respectively secured to the eccentric sleeves, and springs in tension between the individual arms and fixed anchorages on the frame; and further including fluid pressure cylinders also aflixed to the frame with their pistons connected to the respective arms, whereby upon admission of pressure fluid to said cylinders under control of the manual means, the eccentric sleeves are turned to force the lower wheels into tight gripping relation with the cable concurrently with brake application.

9. The invention according to claim 6, wherein the carriage is provided with an operators cage, and wherein the manual means is located in the operators cage.

10. In a cable traversing trolley carriage having a horizontally elongate frame, a pair of grooved power-driven wheels at each end of the frame for respectively engaging the cable from above and from below, fixed axes on the frame about which the upper wheels are rotative, eccentric sleeves about which the lower wheels are rotative, said sleeves being free on other axes fixed on the frame, arms secured to the respective eccentric sleeves and springs in tension between the respective arms and fixed anchorages on the frame to keep the lower rollers normally in yielding tractive engagement with the cable,

mechanism for supplementing the springs to turn the eccentric sleeves and thereby force the lower wheels into tight gripping relation with the cable. to hold the carriage against movement when stopped, said mechanism including pressure fluid cylinders secured to the frame with their pistons connected respectively to the arms; and

'manual means for controlling admission of pressure fluid concurrently to the cylinders.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Feb. 19, 1907 

